Apparatus for transforming electrical energy into mechanical energy.



H. B. SMITH. APPARATUS FOR TRANSFORMING ELECTRICAL ENERGY INTO MEGHANIGAL ENERGY. APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1908. v v

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ATTORNEY Patented May 30,1911.

' utilizing the electric tensions to create a -first element,

UNITED, STATES PATENT oFFioE.

HAROLD B. SMITH, 01' WORCESTER, MASSA'CHUSET'IS,

Assmnon 'ro wns'rrncnousz ELEG'I'RIG AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CQRPQRATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

arrnna'rus ron nunsromlmo nmc'riucnn ENERGY nrro MECHANICAL ENERGY.

I Specification of Letters Patent. P t t May 30, 19 1, Application filed May 14, 1908. Serial No. 432,88

To all whom it may comm: Be it known thatI, HAROLD B. SMITH, a

citizen of the United States, residing at- Worcester, in the county of Worcesterand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Transforming Electrical Energy into Mechanical Energy, of which the following is a specification.

The Object of this invention is to provide a translating device by which alternating current energy may be changed into mechanical energy for performing useful work by moving (preferabl a rotatin electric field in one element of t e device w ich is adapted to causes. secondelement of the device, influenced only by the fieldv producedin the to start from rest and to move or rotate,

My translating device is comparable to an induction motor, the rotating magnetic field being replaced by a rotating electric, or

' is a diagrammatic View of a system arranged,

electro-static field, and the primary and secondary magnetizable .core members and windings of the induction motor being replaced by members which are respectively adapted to produce, and to be suitably in fluenced by, the rotating static field. My invention may be embodied in various structures and I do not wish to be limited to any specific structure or arrangement.

Figure 1 ofthe accompanying drawings in accordance with and embodyin my invent-ion. Fig. 2 is a diagram use for the purposeofexplanation; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the way the invention maybe utilijzed in connection with a single phase high 'potentialline circuit. orwith oue circuit of a polyphase system; Fig. 4 is a view sh'owing'the motor adapted for meter-. ing purposes g Fig. 5 is. a diagram showing the way the "invention may be utilized in connection with a three-phase high potential line circuityFig. 6 is aview partly in section illustrating a modified arrangement of my invention inwhich the primary member is the movingelement; "and Fig. '7. is a view showiiitgfa modificationof part herein connection hereinafter referred to.

formers designed to trans 1sa diagram showing another method of Figs. 9 and'lO are diagrammatic views of a motor embodying my invention and having a rotaafter termed the secondary member. Fig.8

table primary member to which electric'ener y is inductively transmitted.

referring/{first to the diagram illustrated n Fig. 1, designates a generator which may be of any standard phase or type, andwhlch in the provided with two windings-at 90 electrical degrees toeach other, the ends of these windings being connected byline wires 10-10 to the primary of a transformer A and by line wires 11-11 to the primary of a second transformer B. By this arrangement, there is produced in each secondary circuit a simple single-phase alternating current of high tension, the two currents'from the two transfirst reduction to practice was 60 formers being at 90 electrical degrees to each other, "as indicated in Fig. 2. The transformers A and B are hi h tension trans- ?orm the currents up to high'voltage, say 25,000 volts more or less. D desi principle of the rotating electric field. This mentary form illustrated consists of a primary member and a secondary member.

The primary memberconsists of four plates '80 12, 13,14 and 15 preferably of conducting material separated from eachother and arranged circularly. The two opposite plates 12 and 13 are connected with the secondary circuit 100-400 coming from the transformer A and the other two opposite plates 14 and 15 are connected with the circuit 110-110 coming from the secondary of the other transformer B. The secondary memmotor in the simple elel ates the motor which is de- 75 signed to utilize the her comprises a circular disk or'druin C on' which, a number of metallic bars 16or other parts, which form 'pathsfor the electri'cflux are arranged. These parts' are preferably of such a number as not to'bfi'er a symmetrical 1 member, in the drawing-fiveof such parts being shown relatively to the four plates of the Prima -me lher n o rum 6 i arrangement with the'plates of the primary.

is preferably. constructed of glass or may be formed of some other material in which phenomena are produced which serve to render the device self-starting in the same trio tension developed; that is, the parts are in position where the efiect through the transformers is to develop at the plate 12 the maximum positive electric tension, and at the plate 13 the maximum negative electric tension. Then there will be created in the motor an electric field or flux passing diametrically across the same from the plate 12 to plate 13. In this position the plates 1-1 and 15 have diametrically between them the minimum electriofield or flux. Now as the enerator rotates 90 electrical degrees the e ectrio tension or flux between plates 12 and 13 will diminish and the electric positive tension will commence on plate 14 and the electric negative tension will commence on plate 15.' This will cause a progressive shiftingvof the electric field from between ,plates 12'and 13 to between plates14 and 15 and until plates 14: and 15 receive the maximum pressure from their circuit 110110 causing the maximum electric' flux between them and until the tension falls to a minimum in the circuit 100100 and the flux between plates 12 and 13 becomes a minimum. Thusthe electric field will be carried to between plates 14 and 15. The next rotation of the generator of 90 electrical degrees will cause the electric field to shift progressively from plates 14 and 15 to plates 13 and 12; the next rotation of 90' electrical degrees will cause the electric field to shift progressively to plates 15' and 14; and the next rotation of 90 electrical degrees will cause the electric field to shift progressively back to its initial position;

that is,'to between plates 12 and 13. Thus the electric field will rotate progressively around the plates. As the electric field is generated between the plates, an electric current will traverse the secondary member parts 16 on the rotating member C, and as the electric field rotates, as before described, the electric tension along the lines of'force of the electric field, or the electric flux, will cause the secondary member to follow the rotation of the electric field. In' this way,

the energy of an alternating current or ourrents will be transformed into mechanical energy.

Although, as just described, the secondary member tends to follow the rotatlon of the electric field, the motor will not start unless, as pointed out in a previous paragraph, the secondary member comprises a part, such as the glass disk 0, in which a certain amount of energy is consumed, since, without this member, the evice is analogous to a synchronous motor and is unable to develop a starting torque, although the rotating field is present.

(The number of lates employed in the primary is not, limited to four for a twophase, or three for a three-phase circuit, but may be any desired multiple of each respectively.

The above explains the method of operation. The device is capable of ready applioation to transmission lines carrying currents of high potential. For example, in Fig. 3, let a-Z) be a circuit carrying a single phase alternating'current of high voltage, and suppose that it is desired. to take power from the same. In this instance one circuit 100-100 can be taken directly from the line wires a and b, and the other circuit 110-110 may be connected to plates 17-17 exposed .to plates 18-18 connected by wires 19-19 to the line Wires a and b. By this or other convenient arrangement the plates 1717 will receive electric tensionfrom the plates 18-18, and there will be enough time displacement between the electric inductive effects to 100100 and 110110 out of time or phase with each other so that a rotating electric field will be generated in the motor. I

The motor described may be utilized for power purposes or may be utilized for metering purposes. In Fig. 4 the'motor is shown as having the secondary member oonnected to a suitable gearing for operating the indexes of a meter. The motor is also applicable to a three-phase circuit, and such application thereof is shown in diagram in Fig. 5. In this diagram M designates a star-wound three-phase generator. This generator is connected to the primary terminals of transformers A, or to any other convenient three-phase transformer connection from which lead the line wires (1, b and c'. The transformers A are high tension transformers. The line wires a, b and 0 represent a three-wire high tension threephase working circuit. Power may be taken from this circuit by wires 101, 102 and 103 connected res ectively to said line wires 11', b andec. hese wires are connected to three plates 104, 105 and 106 which form the plates of a primary member of a motor, such as previously described, and whichPhas' a secondary member C having a name-east put the tensions in the circuits.

parts 16 thereon forvreceiving the electric .flux, and which'member. will rotate by rea- With this arrangement, by properly son of the rotating electric field generated between the plates of the primary member. This illustrates the application of the motor to the ordinary three-phase high potential system. 1

The primary member may be made the rotatin member of the motor if desired by using 518 usual contact rings as illustrated in Fig. 6, and by holding the secondary member stationary.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings, the cont-act rings may be avoided by the use of parts such as the opposed lates or disks -30 and 31 which are arran e to provide suitable electric inductive e ectswithout mechanical contact, one set being stationary, and the other rotary. I also have obtained good rotative effects by using different thing's for the parts of the secondary member. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 7, 'I have used a number of vacuum tubes I on the member 0, and these tubes form an effective path for the electric flux.

Rotation can be produced by use of the same;

When the motor is used for metering urposes and connected as previously descri (1 its operation depends upon the voltage oi the working circuit. If it is desired to measure the power ofthe circuit, the connections shown in Fig. 8' may be used. 'In

this figure an impedance or series transformer R is interposed in one line a. ofthe single-phase high potential line circuit 0-? and the connections 110-110 for the lates, I

14 and 15 are made at opposite sides o said impedance or to the series transformer.

proportioning the parts, the torque will with the load on the Wires a and 6 beyond the meter, and hence the rotation of the motor may be used to meter the power. The wires a and b may be also considered as two .of the wires of a polyphase circuit. Various other modifications of connections to accomplish the purpose desired by means of the rotating electric field Wlll suggest themselves. It is not necessary for the electric field to be of uniform intensity throughout its rotation in order to secure mechanical rotation. i

The principle of the moving or rotating] electric field is applicable no matter What kind of alternating current is used, and whether the electric tensions are produced by polyphase or displaced or split singlephase electro-motive forces. In other Words, the underlying principle is the production of a moving electric field, preferably of a rotating type and the roduction of mechanical movement there rom, preferably rotatin movement. The device is also capable of ot er power uses and increased torque e varied besecured by suitable modification of the rinciples an the capacity system.

e utilization of the rotating electricf 'field I believe will become important, owing to the increasing importance of the apghca-tion of high voltages common in longist-ance power transmission. By proportionin the parts so as to secure suitable potentia gradients for the dielectrics employed in the construction, it is possible to secure economical electric fluxes 'for operation.

Many'applications of the broad principle of the invention will suggest themselves to a skilled electrician in'analogy to the uses now made of the rotating magnetic fields. I do not Wish, therefore, to be limited in any way to details of construction or specific application but What I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States is 4 1. An electrostatic motor comprising a primary member embodying means, energized from an'external source, for producing a rotating electrostatic field, and a secondarymember independent of any'external source and influenced by said rotating field to produce a relative rotation of the members.

. 2. An electrostatic motor comprising a primary member embodying means energized froman external source for producing a shifting electrostatic field, and a secondary member independent of any external source and influenced by said shifting electrostatic fieldito produce a relative movement of said members. v i p 3. An electrostatic motor comprising a primary member embodying means, energized from an external source, for producing a rotating electrostatic field, and a. secondary member having a plurality of parts'independent of any external source and so influenced solely by said rotating field thatv continuous rotation of said secondary member 1s inltiated and maintalned.

4. An electric motor comprising a primary member having a plurality of circularly arranged plates upon which electrical tensions may be impressed to produce a rotating electric field, and a secondary member independent of any external source and influenced by trostatic field when energized by out-ofcurrent and are so influenced by the retiri-- ing elec trostetic field that a relative rotation of the two members is produced.

In teetiipony' whereof I have hereunto set my hand, 1n the presence of two subscribing wltnesses.

HARULD B. SMITH. Witnesses J. ELMER HALL, LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE. 

